I am new to fly fishing and do not understand the difference between dry fly or wet fly. Any advice

chromer

01-29-2005 06:47 AM

Wet = subsurface, tied with materials that come alive underwater

Dry = on the surface, tied with materials that keep the fly from sinking

Each solicits a different response from the fish, match to the situation.

Good luck, get out there a lot this spring!

teflon_jones

01-30-2005 06:30 PM

There are also some flies that can be fished both dry and wet. These are usually things that are meant to mimic a nymph (an immature bug).

Dry flies are considered the most pure form of the sport, and are generally used primarily for trout. They imitate bugs almost exclusively (they can imitate a mouse or frog, and some other things, but usually bugs), and are used for trout most of the time. Some notable exceptions are hoppers and beetles, which are used for bass and panfish as well. Wet flies are used for a wide variety of species and include flies that imitate bugs, baitfish, crabs, crayfish, and a bunch of other stuff. Streamers are a separate distinct type of wet fly that's intended to imitate baitfish. Poppers are large surface flies that generally are made of floam or deer hair and create a lot of commotion on the surface. They are technically a dry fly, but are really in their own category. They sometimes are designed to dive under the surface a little when they're stripped in hard. Streamers and poppers are used a lot for saltwater fishing, as well as a few other things like clousers, gotchas, crab, crayfish, and lots more.

I hope this isn't too much info! :)

JDJones

01-30-2005 08:30 PM

What is it

Having come from a warm water, bass bugging environment, when I first got into this game, I was totally clueless about what all of these different flies were, what they were supposed to imitate, and how and when to use them. They had names like Quill Gordon, Adams, Royal Coachman. What the hell kind of fly is that? I had heard of house flies, horse flies, dragon flies, but a Royal Coachman????

Then, while taking a fly tying class, I got a brief education in entomology. The study of bugs and their life history. At least as far as a trout is concerned. Along the way I discovered that a lot of these flies were given the names of their creators, rather than the bug they were designed to imitate.

The easiest part to pickup on was when to use a particular fly. Just be observant. If there are little black gnats flying around your face, if there are these little things with gray wings floating down the river and flying away, well,,,start there. Shake the leaves of the bushes along the stream bank and see if anything flies out of there. Watch for rises. Learn to recognize the difference between the way a trout rises to a caddis vs. a mayfly, vs. an emerger.

Then there are the times when there are no rises.

Possumface

02-12-2005 01:14 PM

im not to sure how smart the wonderful bluegill are. they seem to bite on anything that hits the water around here. i will fish the dry flies when i see fish hitting the surface. the bass are also not to perticular as long as it makes some wakes and moves around.. its funny how many lures at the local tackle shop has hundreds that i think are made to appeal to the fisherman more then the fish. most fish ive caught if u look deep in there gullets they could have some revealing answers to what they are eating. some of the largest bass eat the smallest of bugs go figure. :Eyecrazy:

Flyfsh

02-14-2005 06:58 AM

Possumface I agree with you. The lure makers have to catch the fishermen (person) trying to be politically correct. As far as the bluegill most places they will take anything that moves & most things that don't. Try the tried & true Wollie Bugger in assorted colors #8 will do for most & it is big enough to handle a bass too.